Message from the awards partner Hays

With the public sector under constant pressure to deliver more with less, these awards are a wonderful opportunity to throw the spotlight on what can still be achieved, and celebrated, in this time of austerity

Despite the limitations and challenges that organisations face, there is still a passion and commitment to see how services can be improved and how they can engage more with the public. Austerity is not going to go away and organisations are constantly looking afresh at their resources and how they can become leaner. As a result of this scrutiny, and as is clear from the entries we have received this year, we are seeing public services evolving: projects are getting off the ground that are much more creative and innovative, less resource-heavy and involve more collaboration than there would have been a few years ago.

At Hays, working with our public service partners has always been a large part of what we do. We understand that the services, and the delivery of those services, are only as good as the people who are there working in these organisations. Our role is to help those organisations find the right people.

The Guardian's Public Services Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate good ideas and good plans, as well as the achievement of individuals. People are incredibly proud to be nominated because it gives them the chance to gain wider recognition for what they are achieving and further confirmation that what they are doing is worthwhile.

David Cairncross, Hays UK public services director, said: "This year there were two or three entries that were particularly outstanding and therefore made judging especially difficult. But Hampshire county council stood out because it had such an excellent idea that was also good in terms of its simplicity and its impact. I think what also struck us was that it is addressing an issue that is very much of the present – how to make sure migrant families are truly embedded in their communities."